Throttle



May 8, R934., E. A. IRQBHNSON THROTTLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 25, 1931 iii LV Jl l m INVENTOR Evickcbnsn f mmmm ATTORNEY May 8, 1934. E. A. ROBINSON THROTTLE Filed March 25. 1931 2 Sheets-SheelI 2 D )VQ z l INVENTOR i E1A.RobLnson,

BY j, Q f

ATTORNEY T OFFICE THROTTLE Eric A. Robinson, Aldwych, London, England, as-

signor to American Throttle Company, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application March 25, 1931, Serial No. 525,220 In Great Britain March 25, 1930 1 Claim. (Cl. 277-33) This invention relates to locomotive throttle ing may take place or alternatively the pressures or regulator valve apparatus of the kind in which in the said two chambers may tend to equalize, a lift-type valve, controlling the supply of steam and the ports in the piston also actgto prevent to the engine, has a balancing piston to one side pressure in the balancing chamber building up 5 of which steam is admitted by a pilot valve prior below the balancing piston or pistons to an extent q to the opening of the lift valve in order to balance, sufficient to force the valve or valves upwardly inor approximately balance, the eect of steam dependently of actuation by the valve operating pressure from the source of supply acting on the means. lift valve and tending to hold it to its seat, the Further according to the invention the ports in lo lift valve heine' arranged in a housing comprising the balancing piston, or in each such piston, en- 55 Supply, balaiillg and delivery Chambers and ables such piston to be employed as an additional Seating at all aperture ill a partition between the steam admission valve and to operate to admit, supply and delivery Chambers of said housing, and and regulate the supply of, additional steam tol the balmlllg piston being Slldable lll a bOre in the delivery chamber of the valve housing whenthe partition between the balancing and delivery ever tne opening of tno lift valve exceeds a pre- 70 chambers and axially aligned with said aperture determined amount. in the iirst mentioned partition. According to one embodiment of the invention The invention has fO" tS O'DJ'GCy and Dlpaly the supply of steam to the balancing chamber of consists in an improved construction of throttle the Valve housing is controlled by a pilot valve 20 OI regulatOi' ValVe DDELTBDUS 0f the kind bOVe device comprising a lnain pilot valve and a bal- 75 indicated in which the balancing piston of the lift ngi-ng pilot valve, the latter valve being opened type regulating valve, or of each such regulating prior to the opening of the main pilot valve and Valve, ShOlllCl a plurality O SllCh Valves be emwhen so opened admitting steam to the balena 131057601, Shall Ollelte A50 admit COIlSfdP/'falble ing chamber to place in balance, or approximately amounts of steam from the balancing Chamber 0f in balance, the combined lift and piston valve, 80 the valve housing to the delivery chamber thereof or Valves, and the main pilot valve, thesaid main whenever the opening of the lift valve exceeds a piiot Valve being opened at an appropriat'etimev Plede'elmilled nmOllltafter the opemng of the balancing pilotV valve to The invention further consists in locomotive admit an increased supply of steam from the 3o throttle or regulator valve apparatus of the kind Source of Supply to the balancing Chamber and 85 above indicated, wherein the balancing piston of through the ports or passages in the balancing the lift type regulating Valve, 0l" 0f SaCh SllCh piston of the combined valve or valves to the envalve, is provided with ports or passages whereby gine, Y l when a predetermined opening of the lift valve is when appiied to the now Weil-known multiple exceeded communication between the balancing Valve reguiator apparatus the invention may en- 90 and delivery Chambers of the valve housing will able the number 0f lift valves with baiancingpis'- be established, through such ports or passages, tons to be reduced as eachindividual valve assemso that steam admitted to the balancing chamber bly will comprise two valves, one being a lift-type by Opening Of the plO Valve may lOW t0 the devalve and the other a piston type valve, both op- 40 livery chamber and thence to the engine. Pref- @rating to control the supply of steam to the en- 95 erably the construction or" the regulator valve apgine. The valve apparatus according to this inparatus according to this invention is such that Vention, however, may be such that a singlevalve whilst the piston is in the position in which comassembly, comprising a lift valve and a piston munication is open between the balancing and valve and constituting a double valve, may condelivery chambers of the valve housing, the area trol the steam supply to the engine. 1Go

available for flow oi steam through such ports or In order that the invention may be fully underpassages will be varied as variations are made in stood, reference is made to the accompanying the amount of opening of the lift-valve, and the drawings in which:- supply of the steam to the engine through such Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of ports or passages will be regulated. a throttle or regulator valve apparatus according 105 In regulator valve apparatus according to this to one embodiment of the invention, the valve invention the ports in the piston are such that housing being combined with a steam superheater after a predetermined opening of the lift valve header. Y equalization of the pressures in the balancing Fig. 2 is a cross section through the regulator chamber and delivery chamber of the valve housvalve apparatus shown in Fig. l and through the 110 steam superheater header, the section being taken on the line A-B of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the valve housing is formed as a separate unit adapted to be mounted in a convenient position on the locomotive, for example in the smoke box.

Fig. d is a lay-out of the periphery of the balancing pistons shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and illustrates the ports provided through such pistons in accordance with this invention, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modied construction of balancing piston according to the invention.

Referring iirstly to Figs. 1 and 2 in the embodiment of the invention therein illustrated in addition to the pilot valve device there may be provided two of more regulator valves each comprising a lift valve and a balancing piston. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 only one such cornbined lift valve and balancing piston is employed.

As the operation of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, insofar as the pilot valve device and the combined lift valve and balancing piston is concerned, is the same, the constructions according to Figs. 1 and 2 will be described as if only one lift valve and balancing piston were provided, so that the description will apply equally to Fig. 3.

1n the constructions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the appropriately shaped housing has a horizontal partition l in which are provided apertures 2, 3, each having a seat 4, 5 for a lift valve 6, 7, the chamber 8 above the partition being open to the source of supply of steam. 1n Figs. l and 2 the supply chamber 8 receives steam by the duct (or ducts) 9 from the superheated steam chambers of the superheater header, while in Fig. 3 the steam is supplied to such chamber by a pipe (not shown) connected at 10 to the chamber 8. Another partition 11 is provided in the housing dividing olf from the space below the partition 1 a portion 12 constituting the delivery chamber of the housing, the remainder of such space constituting the balancing chamber 13, this latter partition 11 having a vertical portion 14 joined to the partition 1 between the apertures 2 and 3 therein so that the said apertures connect the supply chamber 8 respectively to the balancing and delivery chamber 13, l2. In the partition 11, and axially aligned with the aperture 3 connecting the supply and delivery chambers, a bore 15 is provided in which works the balancing piston 16 of the lift valve 7, which may be called the lift type regulator valve, controlling said aperture 3.

The lift valve 6 which controls the aperture 2 connecting the supply and balancing chambers, and which valve may be termed the main pilot valve, carries another valve 17, which may 'be called the balancing pilot valve. The latter valve 17 conveniently comprises a body portion or stem 18 slidable in a bore extending axially through the stem 19 and head of the main pilot valve 6, and a head constituting a lift or poppet valve adapted to seat on a valve seat at the upper end of said bore in the main pilot valve, the stem of the balancing pilot valve being reduced below said head to form a necking 20 of appropriate length. The hollow stern 19 of the main pilot valve has a port or ports 21 through its wall with which the said necking 20 registers so that when the balancing pilot valve 17 is raised from its seat steam may flow from the supply chamber past the said valve and through said necking 20 and port or ports 21 into the balancing chamber 13.

The balancing piston 16 of the lift type regulator valve 7 has ports or passages 22 extending through it from its lower side to its peripheral surface and breaking through the latter in such a position or positions as to be closed by the Wall of the bore 15 in the partition 1l when the lift type regulator valve 7 is seated but to be placed in communication with the delivery chamber 12 when the said lift type regulator valve 7 has been raised beyond a predetermined extent from seat and the piston 176 moved upwardly therewith. Conveniently the balancing piston 16 is an inverted cup shaped member, as shown, the ports or passages 22 being constitutedby appropriately Shaped openings (seen in Fig. li) through the depending skirt or flange 23 of the piston. Alternatively the piston may be solid and have the ports or passages cored, drilled or machined therein; for example, the piston 16 may have an annular recess turned in it, as shown at 24, Fig. 5, and a number of vertical holes 25 drilled or otherwise formed so as to extend from -the lower or balancing chamber side of the piston into the recess 24. If desired, in order that the communication established between 'the balancing and delivery chambers may be of relatively small cross area initially the Lipper wall of the recess 24 may have formed in it radial grooves such as 26 which are uncovered in advance of the main groove or recess 24. As a further alternative the passages may be in the form of recesses in the periphery of the piston extending from the lower side of the piston upwardly to the desired distance from the upper side thereof. 1n all the alternative forms, however, the piston valve 15 passes steam around the major portion of its circumference when fully open.

Convenient means for operating the Valves are shown by way of example and will now be described. A valve operating shaft 27, rotatably mounted in the balancing chamber 13, is provided with cams or ngers 28, 29 adapted to co-act in a known manner with opposed surfaces on downwardly projecting stems 30, 31 of the combined lift and piston valve 7, 16, and the balancing pilot valve 17 respectively, and with a lower end surface 131 of the hollow stem 19 of the main pilot valve,Y

the arrangement being such that on rotary movement being given to the shaft 27 the balancing pilot valve 17 will be lifted from its seat admitting steam from the supply chamber 8 to the balancing chamber 13 and thus placing in balance, or approximately in balance, the combined lift and piston valve 7, 16 and the main pilot valve 6. Continued movement of the operating shaft 27 next opens the lift type regulator valve 7 of the double valve, causing steam from the supply chamber 8 to flow past it into the delivery chamber 12 and thus to the engine. Further rotation of the operating shaft 27 causes the opening of the lift type regulator valve 7 to be increased and at the same time causes the piston type regulator valve 16 to be raised so that communication is opened between the balancing and delivery chambers 13, 12. Continued movement of the operating shaft 27 next causes the cams or ngers 29 which raised the balancing pilot valve 17 to engage the lower end 131 of the hollow stem 19 of the main pilot valve 6 and open such valve. A substantial quantity of steam from the source of supply is thus admitted to the balancing chamber 13 and through the ports and passages 22 in the piston type valve 16 to the delivery chamber. If

the supply to the engine is to be increased further, rotation of the valve operating shaft 27 will cause both the lift type regulator valve 7 and the main pilot valve 6 to be further opened and also will move the piston valve 16 into position to further open the communication between the balancing and delivery chambers, so that, in addition to an increased amount of steam being admitted to the delivery chamber by the lift type regulator valve 7, an increased quantity of steam will flow through the ports 22 from the balancing chamber to the delivery chamber and thus to the engine. By manipulating the operating shaft 27 the amount of opening o1" the valves, and thus the supply of steam to the engine, may be nely regulated. Reverse rotation of the operating shaft will cause the valves to close, the order of closing being the reverse of the order of opening.

Should the throttle or regulator valve apparatus comprise a plurality of double beat regulating valves 7, 16 they would be arranged to be opened in some predetermined order, and the arrangement may be such that all the lift type regulator valves may be opened before the rst of the piston valves opens.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the operating shaft 27 extends outside of the valve housing and is connected by a crank arm and mechanical connections not shown to the regulator lever in the drivers cab.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the shaft 27 is actuated by another shaft or plunger 34 slidably mounted in the valve housing and having a necking engaged by a bifurcated arm or lug 35 on the shaft 27, the construction and arrangement being such that the longitudinal sliding movement of the plunger 34 will give rotary movement to the shaft 27. The plunger 34 would be connected by any appropriate connections to the regulator lever at the drivers footplate.

As above mentioned the valve apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is a unit independent of a superheater header and the delivery chamber 12 is connected by passages formed in the valve housing to apertures 36 to which are connected the pipes leading to the engine valve chests.

It will be appreciated that in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the pipes leading to the engine valve chest are connected to the valve housing in the manner now usual where multiple regulator valve apparatus is employed, plunger neckings being provided on the valve housing for this purpose, one of such neckings 37 being shown in Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular operating means described as any appropriate means may be employed, and other constructional details above described might be varied without departing from the invention.

I claim:

A valve apparatus having a live steam chamber, a balancing chamber, a delivery chamber intermediate said chambers, at least one pair of aligned ports arranged to permit flow between said live steam and delivery chambers and be- 100 tween said balancing and delivery chambers respectively, a connected lift type regulating valve and balancing piston in each such pair of ports, said balancing piston having a construction and arrangement such as to admit steam from the 105 balancing chamber to said delivery chamber around the major portion of its periphery whenever the opening of such valve exceeds a predetermined amount, a main pilot valve and an auxiliary pilot valve each of which is arranged to 110 permit steam to flow from said live steam chamber to said balancing chamber, and means whereby the main pilot valve is opened after the balancing piston has permitted flow from the balancing chamber to the delivery chamber.

ERIC A. ROBINSON. 

